Michigan Practice TestFair Housing

Michigan Fair Housing
Practice Questions & Answers (2026)

Fair housing is tested on every real estate exam in the country, but Michigan candidates must know both federal and state-level protections. While Michigan enforces the seven federal protected classes (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability), the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) also tests how these protections apply in Michigan-specific rental, sales, and advertising scenarios. Steering, blockbusting, redlining, and discriminatory advertising are all tested — and candidates who think they know fair housing cold often miss the state-specific extensions or the nuanced application scenarios. Review every question here carefully.

Practice Questions

Michigan Fair Housing — Practice Questions & Answers

96 questions on Fair Housing from the Michigan real estate question bank. First 10 are free — sign up to unlock all 96.

Q1. The Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act in Michigan provides additional fair housing protection for which class NOT covered by federal law?

A.Race
B.Religion
C.Marital status
D.Disability

Explanation

Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act adds marital status, height, weight, and other classes to the protected categories beyond the federal Fair Housing Act, providing broader state-level protections.

Q2. Blockbusting is best described as:

A.Refusing to lend in minority neighborhoods
B.Inducing homeowners to sell by suggesting minority groups are moving in to cause panic
C.Charging higher rent to minority tenants
D.Advertising housing only in minority publications

Explanation

Blockbusting (panic peddling) is the illegal practice of inducing property owners to sell or rent by making representations about the entry or prospective entry of persons of a protected class into the neighborhood.

Q3. A property advertised with the phrase 'perfect for young professionals' may violate the Fair Housing Act because it suggests:

A.Income discrimination
B.Age discrimination against families with children (familial status)
C.Disability discrimination
D.No violation — income references are permitted

Explanation

'Young professionals' implies adults without children and could be construed as discouraging families with children from applying, which may constitute familial status discrimination.

Q4. Under the Fair Housing Act, a disabled tenant's request to install a grab bar in the bathroom is considered:

A.A structural alteration the landlord must pay for
B.A reasonable modification that the tenant may make at their own expense
C.A request the landlord may deny without explanation
D.A lease violation

Explanation

Disabled tenants have the right to make reasonable modifications to the property at their own expense, subject to restoring the property to its original condition upon vacating. Landlords cannot refuse reasonable modification requests.

Q5. Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on:

A.Race, color, national origin, sex, religion only
B.Race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, marital status, age, and disability
C.Race and national origin only
D.Race, sex, and religion only

Explanation

Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act provides broader protections than the federal Fair Housing Act, adding marital status and age as protected classes in addition to the federal protected classes.

Q6. Steering in Michigan real estate refers to:

A.Directing clients toward properties that meet their stated needs
B.Guiding buyers toward or away from neighborhoods based on protected class characteristics
C.Negotiating aggressively on a buyer's behalf
D.Recommending a specific lender to a buyer

Explanation

Steering is the illegal practice of directing buyers toward or away from certain neighborhoods based on race, religion, national origin, or other protected characteristics, regardless of the buyer's preferences.

Q7. Redlining in Michigan violates the Fair Housing Act because it involves:

A.Marking property boundaries in red on survey maps
B.Refusing to make loans or provide services in certain neighborhoods based on racial composition
C.Setting listing prices below market value in certain areas
D.Providing discounts to first-time homebuyers

Explanation

Redlining is the illegal practice of refusing to make mortgage loans or provide other financial services in certain geographic areas based on the racial or ethnic composition of the neighborhood.

Q8. Under Michigan fair housing law, which of the following is a permissible action by a landlord?

A.Refusing to rent to families with children in all cases
B.Requiring a larger security deposit from tenants of a certain religion
C.Establishing income and credit requirements applied uniformly to all applicants
D.Advertising a preference for tenants of a specific national origin

Explanation

Landlords may establish and uniformly apply legitimate, non-discriminatory criteria such as income thresholds and credit score requirements. Discriminating based on religion, familial status, or national origin is prohibited.

Q9. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requires Michigan commercial property owners to:

A.Provide accessible accommodations only in new construction after 1992
B.Remove architectural barriers in existing facilities where readily achievable
C.Retrofit all pre-1993 buildings within 5 years
D.Only comply if they have more than 100 employees

Explanation

The ADA requires removal of architectural barriers in existing commercial facilities where such removal is readily achievable (easily accomplished without much difficulty or expense).

Q10. A Michigan landlord's advertisement that states 'no children' violates which law?

A.Michigan Zoning Enabling Act
B.The federal Fair Housing Act's familial status protections
C.The Michigan Occupational Code
D.RESPA

Explanation

Refusing to rent to families with children (familial status discrimination) violates the federal Fair Housing Act. Familial status includes families with children under 18 and pregnant women.

Q11. Under Michigan fair housing law, a landlord may ask a prospective tenant all of the following EXCEPT:

A.Monthly income
B.Current employment
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